CHOCOLATE BERRY RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4.

  Cut a rectangle of non-stick baking parchment to fit the base and sides of a 30cm x 23cm x 4cm traybake or roasting tin. Grease the tin and then line it with the paper, pushing it neatly into the corners.

  Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a hand-held electric mixer until evenly blended.

  Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula to remove all of it. Spread the mixture gently to the corners of the tin and level the surface with the back of the spatula.

  Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the brownies have a crusty top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes if the mixture is browning too much.

  Allow the brownies to cool in the tin and then cut into 24 squares. Store in an airtight tin.

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease two eight inch sandwich tins and line bases. Measure the cocoa into a bowl, add the boiling water and mix until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined ––  this can be done in a mixer or by hand. Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about twenty-five to thirty minutes until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin. For the icing, measure the chocolate and cream together in a bowl. Stand the bowl in a pan of simmering water and stir until just melted. Remove from the heat and allow to become cold and nearly set.  Spread the tops of each cake with apricot jam. Fill the cakes with half of the icing, and spread the remainder on the top. Take a small palette knife and from the centre of the cake, draw large “S” shapes to give a swirl effect.